When Jesus hung on the cross he said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Lk 23.34 NRSV). Nearly all Christians have believed that Jesus herein was asking God to forgive everyone involved in his condemnation and execution, thus regardless of any admission of guilt, and some would add Judas in his betrayal of Jesus. But this interpretation fails to understand these words of Jesus in Luke's context.According to the four New Testament gospels, this saying of Jes … [Read more...]